The world premiere recording of James MacMillan's Stabat mater.

Few living composers communicate with the emotional directness of Sir James MacMillan, and performances of his new Stabat mater received rave reviews. The Sixteen gave the world premiere of this work at a series of concerts in October 2016 as well as recording the work for their own record label, CORO. For MacMillan, 'beauty is at the heart of our Christian faith' and the Stabat mater is sure to be profoundly shaped by his beliefs. But this is a work with deep roots and a universal message, a celebration of both tradition and radical renewal.

The Sixteen
Britten Sinfonia
Harry Christophers

James MacMillan’s Stabat mater was commissioned by the Genesis Foundation for Harry Christophers and The Sixteen and is dedicated to John Studzinski.

'a masterpiece' theartsdesk.com

'Both sides of MacMillan are to be found here, the devotional and the painter of bold dramatic canvases - the former in the ethereal writing for solo and ensemble voices, the latter in the lacerating blows and feverish anxieties depicted in the string ensemble.' Financial Times (on the premiere performance, Barbican, 15 October 2016)

'It's not often that the composer of a new work gets a standing ovation, but then every new work isn't like James MacMillan's Stabat mater' The Times